Domiciliary (home) visits for warfarin clinic patients
Read our guide below about who can access home warfarin visits and when we visit you.
You can also download a PDF version of this patient information by following the link on the right.
Who can have home visits?
All patients should attend our clinics unless a GP visits you at home due to you being housebound or having limited by mobility or medical conditions.
There are anticoagulation clinics throughout South Bucks in community centres, general hospitals and some GP surgeries. See our warfarin monitoring services page for more information.
How we plan for home visits
We plan our home visits on Friday mornings the week before we visit you. We’ll record this as ‘week commencing’ in your yellow oral anticoagulation therapy record book.
Call us on 01494 323600. You can speak to us that Friday after 2.30pm, or on the following Monday to find out which day we’ll visit you.
Can you give me an exact visit time?
We can’t give you an exact time as our nurses or healthcare assistants may be delayed by traffic or extended patient care.
We do understand that sometimes hospital appointments can be difficult to change. Let us know as early as possible if you have an upcoming hospital appointment. We ask that you avoid making other appointments on the day of our visit.
Roughly what time will you visit me?
Between 9am and 4pm. Please make sure you’ll be at home during this time.
What do I need to do on the day you visit?
Please have your oral anticoagulation therapy record book (OAT book) ready when the nurse/healthcare assistant calls. Healthcare assistants will take your OAT book back to the hospital.
A nurse will call you on the day of your INR test as they may need to adjust your anticoagulant dosage may be necessary. We’ll post your OAT book back to you, first class.
Please keep pets under control during our visit.
Access to your property
Some patients have key safes to their property or a special way they’d like our nurses/healthcare assistants to access their property. Tell us any key codes or ways you want us to gain entry to your home.
Any details you give us are kept in strict confidence. If for some reason we cannot gain entry to your home we will ring you or a relative to ensure you’re safe.
Other times you should call us
Like all of our patients you should call us if you:
- change your medication including antibiotics, vitamins, painkillers, steroids and herbal medicines
- have been in hospital for an operation or have been unwell.
- have a procedure booked, for example, surgery or dental work – you may need a test beforehand
- change your personal details – name, address, phone number or GP.
Are there any transport options to get to a clinic?
If you can’t get to one of our clinics you can ask a relative, neighbour or friend to bring you. If you have no transport you can contact:
- Community Transport Hub on 0800 085 8480 or 01844 348834, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.
- Non-emergency patient transport services (EMED) (criteria based service). Call 03007773333 or visit their website
Find out more about our anticoagulation monitoring services
Find out how you can help to reduce healthcare associated infections when visiting hospital